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Windows Update Hangs on Server 2008 R2 x64 Web Edition

Question

Windows Update hangs while installing various updates on all of our Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Web Edition boxes. It installs say 3 or 4 or 5 updates, and afterwards just sits there and does not progress. We have to hard reboot the boxes to clear it up and
when we try again the same thing happens.

All replies

1. The installation is affected by some third-party security software.

2. The downloaded installation file is corrupted.

In order to narrow down the cause of our issue, please refer to the following steps:

NOTE: Some third party programs can affect the Windows Update service. If you are running any third party applications such as Spyblocker, Internet or
web accelerators (programs designed to boost the speed of the Internet connection), security or anti-virus programs (Norton, McAfee, etc.), I recommend we temporarily disable or shut them down and then try accessing Windows Update later. Please be sure to
enable them again when the update process has been completed.

Rename the Windows Update Softwaredistribution folder

====================================

This issue may occur if the Windows Update Software distribution folder has been corrupted. We can refer to the following steps to rename this folder.
Please note that the folder will be re-created the next time we visit the Windows Update site.

Note: Please look at the cmd window and make sure it says that it was successfully stopped before we try to rename the folder. However, if it fails,
please let me know before performing any further steps and include any error messages you may have received when it failed.

5. Click "Start", in the "Search" box, type in "%windir%" (without the quotes) and press Enter.

6. In the opened folder, look for the folder named "SoftwareDistribution".

7. Right-click on the folder, select "Rename" and type "SDold" (without the quotes) to rename this folder.

8. Still in "Administrator: Command Prompt" window, type the command "net start WuAuServ" (without the quotes) in the opened window to restart the Windows
Updates service.

Note: Please look at the cmd window and make sure it says that it was successfully started. However, if it fails, please let me know before performing
any further steps and include any error messages you may have received when it failed.

If the issue persists, would you please send me more information for analyzing. For your convenience, I have created a workspace for you.You can upload the information files to the following link.(Please choose "Send Files to Microsoft")

Note: Due to differences in text formatting with various email clients, the workspace link above may appear to be broken.Please be sure to include all text between '(' and ')' when typing or copying the workspace link into your browser. Meanwhile, please note that files uploaded for more than 72 hours will be deleted automatically. Please ensure to notify me timely after
you have uploaded the files. Thank you for your understanding.

How to collect the WindowsUpdate.log file

====================================

1. Click "Start", type "WindowsUpdate.log" (without the quotes) in the Search Bar and Press Enter. We will see a file named "WindowsUpdate.log".

Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Whenever the updates get stuck, I cannot reboot the server in normal way. Also, the net stop wuauserv sits there for a long time and then says "cannot stop service". I had to use the POWER OFF button to turn off the server. It came back up OK. I uninstalled
McAfee (even though it was in stopped state when I last tried installing updates) and re-run the updates. This time they installed OK (but this happened before too - being able to finish installing the updates after the first few attempts get stuck).

I tried following the McAfee uninstall procedure on a few other boxes. On one after uninstalling McAfee completely, I was able to install the updates without having to POWER OFF in the middle.

However, on the 2nd box, uninstalling McAfee did not fix the problem. The update still got stuck, I had to use the POWER OFF button and then the updates finished installing.

I could not try the rename of the spupdsvc.exe since that file does not exist on my boxes.

I did try running the System Update Readiness Tool before on these boxes.

Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

I just uploaded these files from another server. This one, I didn't uninstall McAfee from because it was not seemingly helping with other boxes. The attachment contains a screenshot of how it looks stuck for hours on a given update (the updates on which
it gets stuck are always different).

I did do the clean up on this box of the SoftwareDistribution folder and the readiness check (which ran fine and didn't report any errors in the CheckSRU log).

In addition, I realize that you have other member servers with the same issue. Based on the current situation, this issue mostly can be caused on the
WSUS server side. You may refer to the following articles for more troubleshooting suggestions.

If the issue persists, please submit a new question on the original WSUS forum for further assistance.

Regards,

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But the same issue persists when using the "get online updates" option within the Windows Update interface on these servers.

In other words, even when trying to get the updates directly from the "online" (not from WSUS) it still hangs exactly the same way. There is no difference on these servers when going to WSUS or "online".

If it does not work, please also run the command:
SFC /Scannow to scan and repair the system files. If any files cannot be fixed, please also run the command:
findstr /C:"[SR] Cannot repair member file" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log >sfcdetails.txt and check sfcdetails.txt for the unfixed files. You may manually replace them to fix the issue. For more information, please refer to the following
Microsoft KB article:

How to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files on Windows Vista or on Windows 7

Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

I tried everything you suggested, but the problem is still happening. I even tried removing the servers from the group policy about WSUS and they still get stuck installing random updates.

I reset the Windows Update components and did the SFC scan (nothing found).

What I did notice is that if after the updates get stuck and I try to stop the updates using the UI button, in the WindowsUpdate.log it says that it sends a cancel but after awhile the UI still has the stop button grayed out but not marking the update as
stopped.

I am able to kill the TrustedInstaller and the wu update .exe and reboot the computer. Once the computer comes back on it is able to install the remaining updates.

Also, when installing the updates manually by downloading each one separately it seems to work.

2011-01-0114:34:21:128792570Agent * Criteria = "IsInstalled=0 and DeploymentAction='Installation' or IsPresent=1 and DeploymentAction='Uninstallation' or IsInstalled=1 and DeploymentAction='Installation' and RebootRequired=1 or IsInstalled=0
and DeploymentAction='Uninstallation' and RebootRequired=1"

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